Introduction

! serving = 1cm, 0.5" sliceThis is a wonderful flavoured bread. When eaten fresh it can be dunked without spread into soups, tomato juice, or casseroles and is great for a simple quick meal with, an egg, tinned tomatoes and mushrooms poured on top. If you have a food mixer with a dough hook the preparation only takes minutes. If you have a breadmaking machine put the ingredients in as directed by the manufacturer.
! serving = 1cm, 0.5" sliceThis is a wonderful flavoured bread. When eaten fresh it can be dunked without spread into soups, tomato juice, or casseroles and is great for a simple quick meal with, an egg, tinned tomatoes and mushrooms poured on top. If you have a food mixer with a dough hook the preparation only takes minutes. If you have a breadmaking machine put the ingredients in as directed by the manufacturer.

Tips

It is important that STRONG flours are used as they have a high gluten content which helps the bread to keep its' shape as it rises.Do not be tempted to leave out the salt or sugar as they are important to control the growth of the yeast and not for flavour.If the mixture seems too sticky after mixing well, add a little flour, a teaspoonful at a time, and mix again. Likewise if the dough is too dry add water a teaspoonful at a time, and mix again. Usually only a little is needed.If you decide to change the balance of flours used you will also need to change the amount of water. (Wholemeal flour absorbs more fluids than white flour)

Directions

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Mix all the wet ingredients together in a jug, then pour into the dry ingredients and mix together using a dough hook in a mixer for 5 minutes at medium speed until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl clean and the dough clings together in one stretchy clump.Cover the bowl with clingfilm or a pan lid and leave in a warm place (or in a fan oven set at 40C) until the dough has doubled in size. Then put the bowl back onto the mixer and using the dough hook, beat at medium speed until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl clean and stays in one clump (this is called knocking the dough back). Put the dough into a prepared 2lb loaf tin and put the dough in a warm place as before to rise until it has doubled in size.Pre-heat the oven to 200C, 180C Fan, 400F, Gas 6.Bake the loaf for 60 minutes until the bread is golden brown. Leave it in the container for 10-15 minutes to cool then empty it onto a wire rack to finish cooling.